Why we do or don’t do things is usually only understood by ourselves – and eventhen when it comes to something like self-harming we don’t even understand why we do it.

I say ‘we’ because there was a time when I did. I gotten help and have been able to channel my feelings in a more poisitve way. I was fortunate that my mum understood and respected why I did it – she certainly didn’t like having her daughter do such a thing but I was lucky in that she tried to undertand and support me. Many others are not so lucky as I was.

The incidence of folk self-harming is far greater than any of you realise and everyone of you will know someone though who does – even though you may not know about it – so don’t mock, jeer or be unkind or judgmental to anyone who does.

I wrote in my autobiography about developing a condition that started in my teens and it saw me self-harming as I was so troubled and tormented. For those who self-harm perhaps my experiences and those of my mum will be of some help as you and those who care about you face the challenge that is self-harm. If you want check out http://www.thecairn.com (this is not a commercial enterprise but a resource for helping to raise awareness by the way) I hope it helps a bit.

Take care, S